Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-08-05
MY TWIN BROTHER.

When | arose on the morning oi
my twentieth birthday, and nodded
merrily to my own reflection in the
glass, the bright young face that
laughed back at me was that of a
handsome, happy and very fortunate
girl.
"Good morning, Miss Lydia
Searle," I said. "And if all goes
well with Us you won't be Miss Ly-
da Searle at all this time next year,
but Mrs. Harry Hatten, instead"
1t wanted but three weeks of my
wedding day, | was as happy as |
was busy just then, for | loved the
man whose bride | was SO soon to
become, with all young girls warm,
untried affection
"Better than any one in the world
but Tom,' | thought. And surely
nobody could or ought to be dearcr to
me than Tom"
Tom was my twin brother. The
usual strong affection existing be-
tween twins was exceptionally power
| ful in our case-from circumstances.
One of Us was born strong and ro-
bust, and the o.her frail and small.
Notwithstanding my sex, | was the
favored one by nature, while Tom
was the weakly twin.
That was the first of his misfcr-
tune, which naturally gave him q
claim on me, and at the same time at
tached him to me as heartier, man.
lier boy would not have done. The
second misfortune was that he resem-
bled our father
Poor fellow As if he could help
thet And yet Uncle Elliott resent
ed it in him just as if he had been to
blame for it.
"Not q fraction Of my money shall
60 to the second Tom Searle," he
used to say.
And he kept his word. He had
adopted us at poor mothers death.
Cur father had died years before. lie
gave US both good EDUCATION, and
got Tom position in a bank; but
when he died just year before that
twentieth birthday of mine-I was
his sole heires.
1t grieved me terribly l loved
Tom better far than myself, and
would have shared anything with
him; but he was proud, poor dear,
and wouldn't hear Of such thing
So the best thing could do was to
spend as much money upon him as
possible, and lend him all be wanted
to use. He had no objection to that,
because, as he would say:
"Some of these days. when Pm par
partner in the bank, I'll pay it all
back again, Lyddy."
And, of course, it was quite proba-
BILE that some day he would be part
ner, since | was about to be married
to the bankers only son and heir.
l was puzzled sometimes to know
what Tom did with so much money;
he had "speculations on hand" he
told me. J thought that perhaps be
was rather extrayagant, too-perhaps
inclined to be wild.
"He is SO young and so handsome,
| thought.
| was always making excuses for
him to myself; but, of course, common
sense taught me that if he would be
steadier, and attend to business bet
ter, his chances of promotion at the
bank would be improved.
AS | thought of him on that birth
day morning-of course, it was his
birthday too-the face in the glass
ceased TO smile, and a new anxiety
crept into my thoughts, | was think.
ing Of the night before.
Tom had acted very strangely. I
had lain awake long time thinking
Of it last night and a vague uneasi-
ness smote me as | remembered it
now; what could have allied him?
He had come in, at about ten
O'Clock, 20 the parlor where Harry
and | were sitting together, and had
remained with US, restless, agitated,
nervous, aDd showing SO plainly that
he wished to see me alone, that pres
emily Harry, half vexed, talf amused,
took the hint and left US.
and then he asked me for money.
No triaing sum, either. He i'm.
| plored me, almost wildly, to give
him six hundred pounds, then and
there, for Gods sake!"
He almost took my breath away.
| had no such sum of money in the
house, OF course, nor could | get on
such short notice. My fortune con,
sisted of real estate, from which | de
rived moderate income, and few
thousands in ready money, which
what with Toms extravaganza, and
my own preparations for my marri
age were nearly gone.
Quite aghast at his agitation. as
well as at his request, l explained tc
him the utter impossibility of com
pliance. He said not q word, but
dropped into a seat, and sat looking
at me as if stupefed.
Every vestige of color had gone
from his fair, handsome face, and The
delicate, clear-cut features looked hag
gard and careworn. A pang sho
through my heart as ! saw his dis
tress, / ceased to care or wonde
what the mobey was wanted for.
knclt beside him:
"l'll get it for you tomorrow"
said, "if have to mortgage my prop
-Ann6mu.-dop,t assnair. only wait unit